Outdoor pancakes rely on good starter

There is nothing in the morning quite like sourdough pancakes, an Alaskan tradition that will work equally well in the Adirondacks. Their taste can’t be beat!

To begin, all sourdough starts with “starter.” Here is a great recipe to make sourdough starter.

Combine 1¾ Cups flour, one Tablespoon sugar, 2½ cups warm water, and one package of yeast. Let the starter sit in a warm place for 12 hours.

After this, put it in the refrigerator or use it. If a liquid forms on the top, just stir it in to the starter because it is caused by the fermentation process and is just alcohol.

When using starter, always leave about a cup and add ¾ cup of flour and 1½ cups of warm water to it for every cup of starter you take. This will keep it going forever. Never add eggs or anything else to your starter. You can add a little sugar once in a while to help feed it.

Starter is alive because of the yeast, so it needs to be fed once in a while. It can be frozen for up to a year.

A great recipe for pancakes comes from Richard Pronneke. It is found in his book, “One Man’s Wilderness.” This is a book based on his journals when he lived in Alaska. The recipe makes about five pancakes and requires no eggs.

Some people will tell you that you are supposed to let the starter, flour, sugar and water work overnight to inoculate the batter. This does make for a stronger taste of sourdough. I just make the batter and use it at the same time and find it lacking nothing.

Sourdough pancakes are a tradition that you should not miss. Don’t forget real maple syrup to top them off.